Iowa has the Sixteenth Highest Tax Burden in the Nation for 2013

Apr 09, 2015

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, Iowacollected $14.3 billion in state and local taxes. While this is an impressive sum of money, it tells us little about whether or not the average Iowataxpayer can afford this level of taxation.

As shown in Chart 1, Iowa’sstate and local tax burden (tax collections divided by personal income) was the sixteenthhighest in the nation for FY 2013 at 10.4 percent—this is 1 percent above the national average of 10.3 percent. As shown in Chart 2, Iowa’stax burden has grown by 39 percent to 10.4 percent in FY 2013 from 7.5 percent in FY 1950.

Not surprisingly, being so close to the national average, Iowa’stax burden by type of tax (property, income, sales, and all other) all hover around the national average.

Of course, the tax burdens for local government can vary just as much as they do among the 50 states. As such, we have also calculated the local government tax burden for every county in Iowa—this includes every taxing jurisdiction within the geographic county borders whether it is a city, a special district, or county government itself.

The Iowa counties with the highest local government tax burden include: Guthrie County, IA (6.4 percent), Ringgold County, IA (6.3 percent), and Dickinson County, IA (6.1 percent). The Iowa counties with the lowest local government tax burden include: Ida County, IA (2.9 percent), Chickasaw County, IA (2.9 percent), and Cherokee County, IA (2.9 percent).

J. Scott Moody

Scott has nearly 20 years of experience as a public policy economist. He is the author, co-author and editor of over 180 studies and books. His professional experience also includes positions at the American Conservative Union Foundation, Granite Institute, Federalism In Action, Maine Heritage Policy Center, Tax Foundation, and Heritage Foundation.